


friends, not food

by katiesaygo



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, F/F, Femslash February, Surfing, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-24
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-22 23:17:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6097219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katiesaygo/pseuds/katiesaygo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabrielle loves the ocean—the feeling of the waves carrying her, the thrill of being plunged into its depths after bailing hard, the freedom that almost overwhelms her whenever she stares out at the horizon line—which is part of what makes it so easy to fall for Xena.</p><p>(surfer!gabrielle and shark mermaid!xena au)</p>
            </blockquote>





	friends, not food

**Author's Note:**

> for the 'unrequited love' square on [my femtropebingo card](http://erikiras.tumblr.com/post/138534984273/heres-my-card-for-the-femtropebngo-im-mostly)!

Gabrielle loves the ocean—the feeling of the waves carrying her, the thrill of being plunged into its depths after bailing hard, the freedom that almost overwhelms her whenever she stares out at the horizon line—which is part of what makes it so easy to fall for Xena.

Before Xena saved her after a particularly bad wipeout a few weeks ago, Gabrielle had never actually believed mermaids existed. She’d spent a lot of long moments sitting on her board, looking down and wondering, maybe hoping, but all of her picturesque daydreams weren’t enough to prepare her for the reality of Xena.

Xena with her shark tail, nothing like the mermaids on tv or in the movies, who moved with so much power and grace through the water that it sent an unbridled crash of panic through Gabrielle when the mermaid caught her off-guard. Xena with the sharp smile and the sharp teeth to match, so that whenever Gabrielle imagined leaning forward to kiss her, it wasn’t the sea she tasted, but the sharp tang of blood. From the day they first met, all Gabrielle could think of was Xena. It was, in all honestly, starting to drive her completely bananas.

Going out to surf became less about actual surfing and more about trying to tempt Xena into coming out for a visit. The mermaid’s appearances were so erratic that it was impossible to predict which times were the best to venture out and she’d never been able to schedule a meeting time successfully after their second encounter.

(“You really came back.” 

And then Xena, eyes soft as the water lapping against Gabrielle’s sides and just as blue:

“So did you.”) 

Sometimes Xena showed up hours after Gabrielle had already given up hope, after every peaked wave in the distance had stopped looking like her dorsal fin peeking out as she rushed over to say hi and every slap of water against water was just another sound for Gabrielle to ignore as she rode the waves. Today was apparently one of those days.

“Xena!” Gabrielle sputters, still recovering from the plunge she’d just taken after spotting Xena following along beside her board beneath the water. “I didn’t think I’d see you today!”

“I wasn’t planning on coming, but I ate a fish that reminded me of you. Made me miss you.”  
Gabrielle shivers and she’s not sure if it’s from Xena’s words or the brush of her tail against Gabrielle’s legs. 

“How did a fish remind you of me?” 

“It was, you know...” Xena’s face screws up as if she’s struggling to put a positive spin on the comparison, “all yellow and cute, like you.” 

Her heart doess a flip not too different from the one she’d pulled falling off her board a minute ago. 

“Plus, it had a design like your wet suit.” Xena seems very pleased with herself for remembering the word and Gabrielle’s nose crinkles with a laugh.

“Well, did it at least taste good?” 

Xena’s head cocks to the side and her voice is teasing when she says, “Not as good as I’m sure you’d taste.”


End file.
